Car dealers behind license plate woes–DOTC

MANILA, Philippines–The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) on Tuesday said certain car dealers were to blame for the woes of new car owners who were still waiting for their new license plates.

As a result, the DOTC and Land Transportation Office will soon release a list of “delinquent dealers” who “deliberately misinform their customers as to the status of their license plate applications.”

The list, aimed at warning the public, would be released in the coming weeks, the statement showed.

“The problem is, the delinquent dealers tell their customers that the LTO does not have new plates when, in fact, they’re the ones who aren’t fulfilling their services. They let months pass despite knowing fully well that the plates are ready—and they even mislead their customers about it,” Transportation secretary Joseph Abaya said in a statement.

LTO assistant secretary Alfonso Tan Jr. noted that the license plates for first-time motor vehicle registrants are available-on-demand.

“Yet many of these plates remain unclaimed from LTO offices,” Tan said.

The DOTC and the LTO will release the list of delinquent dealerships in the coming weeks, to better inform the public as to which dealerships actually deliver on services they offer to customers, and which ones are shortchanging buyers.

“For owners of new motor vehicles whose dealers tell them that the LTO is not ready with new plates: come to our offices so you can claim them yourselves. Your license plates are ready at your place of registration,” Tan said.

Vehicle dealerships are regulated by the LTO, which can suspend and even revoke accreditation when warranted.

The new plates are part of the LTO’s License Plate Standardization Program, which will phase out the nine existing designs currently in use, over the next two years.

They sport a black-on-white design which improves visibility and can be seen from different angles. The new plates contain various security features such as tamper-resistant locks, reflective sheeting material, and a “third-plate” sticker.

These third-plate stickers replace the windshield stickers currently issued as proof of annual registration.

Similarly, registration stickers attached to license plates will no longer be issued for new license plates. –Miguel R. Camus